Podcast # 288 - "Firefly"

Rico · July 18, 2010, 10:45:10 AM

Very long show this week, but a good one I think. All about "firefly" - of course and a few other things. Thanks to those that sent in audio for the show. Always happy for that. Enjoy!

http://www.treksinscifi.com/podcasts/TreksinSciFi_288_Firefly.mp3

Serenity · July 19, 2010, 06:13:50 AM

Hey Rico,

I like that you give the date at the beginning of every show. I have recently started listening to scapecast and am trying to figure out when they recorded based on what they're saying because they don't give the year at the start.

The podcast was super as always!! You'd be hard pressed to find a Firefly hater.

Take it easy
Ryan

Rico · July 19, 2010, 06:18:56 AM

Thanks Ryan. It's such a rich series to cover (even with only 14 episodes and one movie) I always end up feeling I could have done more. But I guess then the podcast would have been many more hours long! I just really love this series and even if I just get one new person to give it a try then doing the podcast will have been worth it.

billybob476 · July 19, 2010, 06:22:16 AM

It's next up on my to-listen list. Rico considering there are many podcasts that are only about Friefly I think you'd be hard-pressed to cover everything in a single episode! it's amazing that a show with 14 episodes can be so rich.

Serenity · July 19, 2010, 06:29:04 AM

Ya there really is alot of magic when it comes to this series. It's such a shame that Serenity didn't do better at the box office, I would have loved to see a Big Damn Trilogy! None the less Serenity is an excellent movie on its own. I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen with a bunch of browncoat at the 08 Can't stop the Serenity screening.

Bryancd · July 19, 2010, 07:39:49 AM

You know, Jamie and I liked "Serenity" but Jamie didn't feel it had the same feel as the series. It was great to have some character resolution but maybe the movie's somewhat darker tone and more violence turned off the non-sci-fi Firefly fans.

Feathers · July 19, 2010, 07:49:40 AM

As with many things, there's enough in this series that a TrekSF episode per episode could easily be justified :)

Serenity was just...different in tone. I don't really know how to define it but it did feel a little bit at odds with the content of the series. As I said in my comment (which I haven't heard yet) I did enjoy it but not in the same way as I enjoyed the series.

Rico · July 19, 2010, 08:23:17 AM

I think the movie was very good, and much like any movie from a TV series. By that I mean that they had to up the action, conflict, etc. but also sort of resolve it all in 2 hours. Think of "First Contact" vs. most TNG episodes. Quite a different experience. But both enjoyable. I found "Serenity" fit in very well and it was great to learn more about River and the rest of them. It also had the advantage of only coming a few years after the series ended. But I know what you guys mean about it being "different" than the series.

moyer777 · July 19, 2010, 10:19:49 AM

I'm half way through listening and LOVE it. Thank you Rico.

Bryancd · July 19, 2010, 12:16:03 PM

Quote from: Rico on July 19, 2010, 08:23:17 AM
I think the movie was very good, and much like any movie from a TV series. By that I mean that they had to up the action, conflict, etc. but also sort of resolve it all in 2 hours. Think of "First Contact" vs. most TNG episodes. Quite a different experience. But both enjoyable. I found "Serenity" fit in very well and it was great to learn more about River and the rest of them. It also had the advantage of only coming a few years after the series ended. But I know what you guys mean about it being "different" than the series.

Agreed. It was interesting to see Jamie's reaction. As a non- sci-fi fan (star crap) she was drawn more to the characters and the relationships than say the more traditional "action". I think that might be a common trait amongst fans of the show who might normally not watch this type of program. Firefly was so unique in that it was very non-technical. They lived on a space ship (great line when Zoe points that out to Wash in the last episode) but there was a an old world aspect to their lives.

QuadShot · July 19, 2010, 12:23:08 PM

Hey Rico, ever thought of doing a show on the American version of Life On Mars? Al

Rico · July 19, 2010, 01:41:57 PM

Quote from: QuadShot on July 19, 2010, 12:23:08 PM
Hey Rico, ever thought of doing a show on the American version of Life On Mars? Al

I've not watched that. Didn't seem to last too long. I do want to see the UK version sometime. Saw at least one episode of that.

Bryancd · July 19, 2010, 02:02:50 PM

Half way through and loving it! Some thoughts:

Wash: He's the "everyman", the audience's voice. You described it perfectly when you said he's the guy who raises his hand and points out that everything and everyone is crazy!

Jayne: Is an AWESOME character but he is NOT a good guy. Jayne's in it for Jane and no one else. Even after his seeming redemption of character during the airlock scene, he's a loyal as long as it's in his own self interest and Mal knows it. They did a great job of making him a little sympathetic like in "Jayne's Town" or when his Mom send him his hat, bit what I loved about the way the character was written is just when you want to like him, he makes some horrible comment! It would have been so interesting to see what would have become of him as the series progressed.

Anara: She wasn't afraid of getting to close to the crew of Serenity, she was afraid of falling even more in love with Mal. She gave Whedon a character where Mal's ability to love, beyond that for his crew and his ship, a foil so we could see into his heart. I found the sexual tension between the two of them great and the fact that it never pays off even better. It drove Jamie crazy and she was happy with Anara's return to Serenity at the end of the film.

Rico · July 19, 2010, 02:18:33 PM

I'm not quite sure what I said with regards to some of those things you mention. But ALWAYS keep in mind when listening to my podcast that many of my comments are just my impressions and thoughts, unless I have heard something specifically from a writer, actor, etc. I do try to blend in what I know and have talked about with others on certain subjects, but they are simply at the end of the day my views. This is why I ALWAYS open the show to comments from you guys ahead of time. I try to keep 'Balance in the Force.' ;)

QuadShot · July 19, 2010, 02:50:09 PM

Quote from: Rico on July 19, 2010, 01:41:57 PM
Quote from: QuadShot on July 19, 2010, 12:23:08 PM
Hey Rico, ever thought of doing a show on the American version of Life On Mars? Al

I've not watched that. Didn't seem to last too long. I do want to see the UK version sometime. Saw at least one episode of that.

There were only 17 episodes, it was more of what we used to call a mini-series than a regular series. They had a predetermined start, story and finish. Pretty good too, combines that 1970's cop show with a sci-fi mystery twist. I enjoyed the BBC version, so gave the US version a shot and was hooked from the fist episode. Al